Texas: If You Thought Indiana's 'Religious Freedom' Law Was Bad, Just Wait

Much news has been made over the past weekend about Indiana's recently passed "Religious Freedom" law. Indiana's Religious Freedom Restoration Act, signed by Governor Mike Pence on March 26, gives business owners the right to claim religious grounds as a reason to deny service to a customer. Opponents assert the law protects businesses that discriminate members of the LGBT community. Pence has played some impressive verbal gymnastics to avoid admitting the bill's anti-gay intentions.

"Tolerance is a two-way street," he said on This Week With George Stephanopoulos, when pressed multiple times to clarify whether businesses would be allowed to discriminate gays and lesbians when the law goes into effect on July 1. Tolerance, by the way, is not a two-way street. Just ask any minority forced to tolerate discrimination.

As it stands, the law is frustratingly vague. The text says an individual's religious exercise cannot be "substantially burdened" by state or local governments. Apparently, the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution isn't enough. You can read the full text here. The law currently does not define a standard for "substantially burdened." Courts may have to determine what those two words mean on a case-by-case basis, but it could allow business to deny service to gays, lesbians and transgender people. It may also override the five Indiana cities and two counties that already have LGBT employment discrimination protections on the books.

Pence told the Indiana Star that legislation would be introduced in the coming days to "clarify" the law, although he declined to provide specific details.